IBT Staff Reporter

Shares of biotechnology firm Amgen, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMGN) shot up 4 percent Thursday, after results of a study for its Aranesp anemia drug for patients with small-cell lung cancer yielded no difference in survival rates than for patients who did not use the drug.

Shares of online broker E*Trade Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: ETFC) fell Thursday, a day after the firm’s first-quarter earnings report showed a profit that beat Wall Street expectations but also included lower guidance for the full fiscal year.

Bankrupt carrier Northwest Airlines announced Thursday that it had reached an agreement with its retirees.

Investors sent shares of Internet portal Yahoo Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO) plummeting more than 11 percent on Wednesday, after the firm posted weaker-than-expected earnings and revenue.

Linear Technology Corp. (NASDAQ: LLTC) jumped in trading on Wednesday following an announcement that it would buy back $3 billion of its shares.

Shares of Vonage Holdings Corp. (NYSE: VG) fell more than 6 percent on Wednesday after the company warned it could take itself into bankruptcy because of an ongoing legal dispute over patents with Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), according to a regulatory filing.

Shares of Seagate Technology (NYSE: STX) fell in Wednesday trading after the computer hard drive maker posted weak quarterly profits the day before.

International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM) was downgraded from a Buy to a Neutral rating by a Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) analyst after the firm reported its earnings for the first quarter on Wednesday.

The Supreme Court upheld the nationwide ban on a controversial abortion procedure Wednesday, handing abortion opponents the long-awaited victory they expected from a more conservative bench.

Shares of brokerage TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: AMTD) shed nearly 10 percent in Tuesday trading after the firm lowered its guidance for fiscal 2007 and first-quarter income fell 18 percent.

Canadian telecom giant, BCE Inc. (NYSE: BCE) revealed on Wednesday that it was exploring strategic alternatives to enhancing shareholder value, including the possibility of going private.

Financial services firm Northern Trust Corp. (NASDAQ: NTRS) posted a 15 percent gain in its first-quarter net income on record trust, investment and other servicing fees the firm said Tuesday.

Shares of men's suit maker JoS A. Bank Clothiers, Inc. (NASDAQ: JOSB) rose Tuesday after the firm reported a stronger than expected annual profit.

Virginia Tech's president said Tuesday that a student was the gunman in at least the second of the two campus attacks that claimed 33 lives to become the deadliest shooting rampage in modern U.S. history.

Qantas staff are worried about their employment security with the airline, according to a report, after Qanta’s bidder Airline Partners Australia (APA) revised a key condition of its takeover plan last week, which calls for the airline to take on more debt.

Tattersall’s Ltd agreed to buy Golden Casket Lottery Corp. on Monday for $530 million, giving the firm a dominant position in Australian lottery sales.

Internet search leader Google, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) announced late Friday that it agreed to acquire online advertising service DoubleClick Inc. for $3.1 billion in cash.

Shares of SLM Corp., the largest U.S. student loan provider, (NYSE: SLM) jumped on Friday after a published report said the firm is in talks with private equity groups for a possible sale of the company.

Investment bank Piper Jaffray Companies (NYSE: PJC) said on Friday that it agreed to acquire Fiduciary Asset Management, LLC (FAMCO) for about $66 million in cash, in a bid to enter the asset management business.

Shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) jumped in Friday trading as a federal judge dismissed a class-action lawsuit over the company's pain reliever Vioxx.

Shares of internet call provider Vonage Inc. (NYSE: VG) rose on Thursday after its CEO resigned and the firm said it would reduce expenses.

Shares of Mobius Management Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: MOBI) jumped on Thursday after it agreed to be acquired by Allen Systems Group, Inc. an enterprise software provider.

Steel maker Ipsco Inc.(NYSE: IPS), the second largest U.S. steel pipe maker for energy explorers, confirmed on Thursday that it is currently in discussions that could lead to a potential acquisition of the company.

Advanced Magnetics Inc.(NASDAQ: AMAG) announced Thursday positive results for a phase III study on its ferumoxytol treatment, an intravenous iron replacement for patients with kidney problems.

Shares of closeout retailer Big Lot's Inc. (NYSE: BIG) fell today as one Wall Street brokerage initiated coverage of the company on Wednesday with a ‘hold’ rating.

Shares of medical laser company Biolase Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: BLTI) tumbled on Wednesday after the company made a preliminary announcement of a first quarter loss.

Shares of medical firm American Medical Systems Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMMD) plunged nearly 18 percent on Wednesday after the firm lowered its expectations for first quarter revenue.

Cell Therapeutics Inc. (NYSE : CTIC) announced on Wednesday that its cancer drug Xyotax qualified for fast track designation for the treatment of poor performance status women.

Shares of health care provider Manor Care Inc. (NYSE: HCR) jumped on Wednesday following an announcement that it enlisted help from a Wall-Street brokerage to increase share holder value.